1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a socket for an electric part that is provided with a means for shifting contacts between a contact position and a release position.
2. Prior Art
The invention of Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 2-278461, published unexamined application No Hei 4-154055, discloses a socket including a turnable lever engageable with contacts arranged in array. In this socket, the contacts can be shifted, as a group, away from contact pieces arranged on an electric part by properly turning the turnable lever, in order to facilitate no load insertion of the electric part.
As shown in FIG. 10, however, the above conventional socket has the following problems. When the contacts 2 are repeatedly shifted by turning the lever 1 repeatedly, the contacts 2 are horizontally displaced along their engagement surfaces with respect to the lever 1, and contacting portions of the contacts are likewise displaced. As a result, a reliable contact relation with terminals of an inserted electric part is adversely affected. Moreover, if the amount of lateral displacement is significant, it gives rise to another problem, that of a short-circuit between adjacent contacts 2.